Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-10-01
THE SARATOGA MONUMENT.
A Noble Memorial Marking the Spot
OF Burgoyne's Surrender.
The Story Told in Bronze Ba,-Rc,.cs


The Story Told in Bronze Bas-RclIcE
At Schuylerville, twelve miles from
the village of Saratoga, y. Y, is a
broadly rounded bluff which rises 800
feet above the Hudson. Its crest is
crowned by an imposing monument,
built Of granite and of purely Grecian
architecture. Power, repose and ele-
CANT simplicity seem combined with
rugged strength to make this structure
one of the finest works OF art this
country has produced. It overlooks a
broad panorama, including the Hudson
river AMI bounded by Lake George, the
Green Mountains and the [ atskills.
1t marks the spot where, according
to Sir Edward Creasey, one of the 10
decisive battles of the world was fought.
IL was here on the 18th Of October,
1777, that Burgoyne surrendered, and
with that event closed the most import
ant chapter of the American Revolution.
The elaborate preparation and depart
are of the finest army that ever left the
shores of England. the arrogant
proclamations that heralded the APP
proach, the successful advance, the
terror inspired by its savage allies, the
early CONSERVATION and discontinue of
the colonies, the subsequent desperation,
the indecisive conflict of Sept. 10, the
disastrous destruction of the Britons
Oct. all eliminated at Schuylerville
in the capitulation of the entire army
of Burgoyne and the thanksgiving of
the nation for its glorious deliverance.
From that moment the nature Of the
war of the revolution was changed. 1t
secured for us the French alliance. 1t
lifted the cloud of moral and financial
gloom that had settled over the hear S
of the people, dampening the hopes of
the leaders and even wringing despair
ing words from Washington himself
From that day belief in the ultimate
triumph of American liberty never
abandoned the nation till it was real
lied and sealed four years later at the
surrender of Yorktown.
The design of the monument is two
fold. Its lofty shaft, overlooking the
plains of Saratoga and the battlefields
of Bemis Heights, expresses the victory
there gained, while its tout ensemble
composes a grand collection of repre-
sensations of historic and characteristic
scenes and figures, pleasing as works
of art and instructive as records OF the
nation life, and which cannot fail to
tenefcially affect the generations
which will hereafter visit the place.
At the base OF the monument, consti-
tuting the lower story, is room twen-
~ feet square, with entrances upon all
sides. A staircase of oak leads by easy
descent from story to story until the
summit is reached. On each of the
four sides of the exterior, at the second
story, Is a niche in which are placed on
three sides respectively the statues of
Gen. Schuyler, Gen. Gates and Gen.
Morgan. The other niche, where
would have been the statue of the fourth
had he not become traitor to his
country, is vacant. 1t bears the name
of arnold underneath While
acknowledging the justice of the record
one cannot but have a momentary feel
ing of pity for the man who played
such an active part in winning the vic
tory which is here commemorated.
History corroborates the fact that when
Gates had well-nigh given up all for
lost, Benedict Arnold, who had before
thrown up his commission as an officer
n the patriot army, suddenly dashed
upon the scene, assumed command, and
led the troops up Bemis Heights, while
the red coats were mown down like
grass before the scythe.
Over the entrance gables rise to the
height of forty-two feet, and at each
corner of the monument a granite eagle
with folded wings and of colossal size
is placed. The interior surface of the
monument is covered by series of
thirty six bronze sculptures represent.
ing, in bass-relief, characters, scenes
and incidents of history. The
first group in bronze represents the